Los Angeles Radio D.J. Rodney Bingenheimer Accused of Sexually Assaulting 6 Teen Girls

Dec 11, 2023

An investigative report from Rolling Stone accuses well-known Los Angeles Radio D.J. Rodney Bingenheimer of sexual assault.

Six women have accused Bingenheimer of sexual assault which is alleged to have occurred when they were teens. Some of Bingenheimer’s accusers have gone on to establish themselves as successful musicians, including Jane Wiedlin, co-founder and guitarist of the New Wave group the Go-Go’s.

“Wiedlin and several other high school friends – among those who christened themselves the ‘Hollywooders’ – hung out there frequently, sneaking out of their parents’ homes to drive to West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip and changing into their club outfits behind the Disco outside. One night, Wiedlin alleges, the club’s eponymous owner – the famed former KROQ DJ and rock-star liaison Rodney Bingenheimer – approached her, isolated her in one of the club’s back rooms, and sexually assaulted her,” the Rolling Stone report said.

“I remember [the room] being very dark and cold,” Wiedlin told the magazine.

“I was a virgin. I didn’t have much experience with boys; boys tended to ignore me…. He picked me out that night. I didn’t know what was going to happen before, but he started rubbing against me with his crotch against my crotch. I didn’t know what to do; I was pretty much frozen. I didn’t say anything; I didn’t try to stop him,” Wiedlin added.

The Rolling Stone report further notes that:

Four other women – all of whom say they were minors at the time – detailed alleged similar experiences of sexual assault with Bingenheimer.

One of the women alleges Bingenheimer molested her when she was a pre-teen.

A sixth woman – Runaways songwriter Kari Krome – sued Bingenheimer earlier this year under California AB 2777 for sexual assault when she was a minor in the 1970s. (Krome also sued the estate of producer Kim Fowley for sexual assault in her suit. Fowley died in 2015, according to Rolling Stone.)

“In her suit, Krome alleged that she met Bingenheimer when she was 13 and claims he immediately started grooming her. Krome alleged that she ‘felt reassured because Defendant Bingenheimer often had numerous young girls around him, especially at the nightclub, and she had stayed at his apartment numerous times without any attempts at physical contact with her,'” Rolling Stone said.

Who is Los Angeles Radio D.J. Rodney Bingenheimer?

Rodney Bingenheimer is known for hosting the “Rodney on the ROQ” radio show on local Los Angeles station KROQ 106.7. KTLA reported that Bingenheimer hosted the program for four decades.

“Bingenheimer was ubiquitous during the heyday of Los Angeles’ debauched rock scene of the 1970s, earning him the moniker ‘the Mayor of the Sunset Strip,‘” according to Rolling Stone. The nickname doubled as the title of an acclaimed 2003 documentary on his life, the magazine also reported.

Additional facts about radio D.J. Rodney Bingenheimer include:

• Prior to opening the Disco in 1972, “Bingenheimer had circled around the Hollywood music scene, most notably as a double for the Monkees’ Davy Jones in their hit 1960s TV show,” according to Rolling Stone.
• A 1983 cover story in the trade publication Music Connection Magazine called him radio’s “new music messiah.”
• Bingenheimer was also a columnist for Go! magazine and contributor to Phonograph Record, where he wrote about L.A.’s club scene and emerging legendary bands like the Doors and the Byrds.

A 1969 Rolling Stone cover story on “groupies” described Bingenheimer as both a groupie himself – “in the sense that he hangs out with every group that hits town, then tells everybody about hanging out with the group” – and gatekeeper between the teenage girls and the rock stars who he glommed onto.

“I’ll let you ball Ringo Starr – but you have to ball me first,” Bingenheimer once told a crowd while dressed as Santa Claus at a Christmas show at the Shrine Auditorium, according to Rolling Stone.

What is the California Sexual Abuse Cover Up Accountability Act?

California AB 2777 – also known as the Sexual Abuse Cover Up Accountability Act – opens a window for adult survivors of sexual assault to file civil lawsuits against their perpetrators in an effort to secure financial compensation.

If you are a victim of California adult sexual assault or abuse whose incident occurred on or after January 1, 2009, you currently have until December 31, 2026, to bring a civil claim for damages (however, Dordulian Law Group’s experienced sex crimes attorneys strongly recommended that you contact us as soon as possible about filing your lawsuit by calling 866-GO-SEE-SAM).

Prolonging a claim can often lead to adverse legal outcomes, as evidence can be harder to locate, witness statements can be less exact, etc. California AB 2777 claims are able to be filed immediately, and taking the first step towards securing the justice you deserve is as easy as contacting our team of proven attorneys – led by former sex crimes prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County, Sam Dordulian.

Free Los Angeles Sexual Assault Survivor Legal Case Review

To speak with a Los Angeles, California, sexual assault attorney, contact Dordulian Law Group (DLG) today at 866-GO-SEE-SAM for a free and confidential AB 2777 consultation. Our dedicated SAJE TEAM (Sexual Assault Justice Experts) includes not only top-rated and proven sex crimes attorneys, but also access to a four-tiered support network that is available to our clients 24/7:

• A licensed and nationally accredited in-house victim advocate
• A licensed in-house clinical therapist with over 15 years of experience
• A retired LAPD sex crimes detective with over 30 years of experience investigating your case
• Representation by Sam Dordulian, a former sex crimes prosecutor, and his team of proven sexual assault lawyers

If you experienced a sexual assault incident, don’t wait to file a claim. Contact our expert attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

If you were victimized by a sexual predator and your crime occurred on or after January 1, 2009, you may be able to secure justice through an AB 2777 civil claim with DLG. Contact a dedicated member of our sexual assault legal team today – we’re available 24/7 to answer any questions you have and provide details on your legal rights and options.